ABSTRACT
In addition to ceramic production, the southern Korean peninsula was noted for iron production during the period of state formation. One of the major products was iron armour, which has been excavated in quantity from Kaya tombs since the mid-1980s. These armour discoveries have radically changed the picture of the nature of elite rule during state formation. This chapter analyses the types of armour found in the Korean tombs and initiates a sociological study of their occurrence in ranked burials.
